Pneumatic vehicle-wheel.



J. U. WELLS.

PNEUMATIG VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY12, 1913.

1,079,082, Patented N0v.18,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. U. WELLS.

PNBUMATIC VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLIUATION FILED JULY 12,1913.

1,079,082., Patented Nov. 18,1913.

Z SHEBTSSHBET 2.

JOSEPH U. WELLS, OF FALLEN LEAF, CALIFORNIA.

PNEUMATICI VEHICLE-IVHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 12, 1913.

To all who/m, t may concern Be it known that I, Joserir U. lVnLns, acitizen of the United States, residing at Fallen Iieaf, in the county ofEldorado and State of California, have invented a new and usefulPneumatic VehiclaWY heel; and I do hereby declaro the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to the art of vehicle wheels, and particularly toa pneu- .matic wheel.

One of the features of constructionis the provision of a multiple ofpump cylinders communicating in a series, each having a floatingflexible web of any suitable material arranged therein at one end, towhich ,the cylinder piston is connected, which in turn is connected tothe rim of the wheel by a rod. When the wheel is in action, the pistonsare forced toward the hub of the wheel, owing` to the tire engaging theground, thereby compressing the air in the air chambers, and owing tothe webbing being lieXible, full in area and floatable adjacent theircentral portions, the webbing will vact accordingly, thereby cushioningthe wheel as it rotates. In this manner the air is compressed anddisplaced from one chamber to another.

In practical fields the details of construction may necessitatealterations, to which the patentee is entitled, provided the alterationsfall within the scope of what is claimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, ashereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view in side elevation and partly insection of the improved wheel constructed in accordance with theinvention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of thewheel. Fig. 8 is a sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is adetail view.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates the hub of thewheel con` structed in the usual manner and provided with short radialspokes 2, which are secured at 3 in the thimbles or ferrules il, whichare connected to the band 5 in any suitable manner. The rim 5 is hollowor tubular and constitutes an air conduit, the interior of whichcommunicates with the air chamber 7 of each cylinder 8. The thimbles orferrules where they engage the tubular rim or conduit are slightlyelongated, and are also semi-circular in cross section to conform to thecontour of the conduit. The air conduit or rim 5 is provided with theusual check valve E) in a short tube 10, and to which tube l0 the usualform of pump may be connected for forcing air into the conduit and thechambers. Each cylinder 8 comprises two sections 11 and l2, the section11 is connected to the conduit or rim 5, while in the section 12 acylinder piston 13 is mounted and adapted to move. Arranged across thelarger portion of each section l1, and securely clamped between theadjacent portions of the sections 11 and 12 of each cylinder' is awebbing 14, which may be constructed of any suitable material, such as acomposition of leather and canvas, or one piece of leather and one orseveral pieces of canvas. The two sections 11 and 12 are threadedtogether or otherwise connected as at 15. The central portion of thewcbhing is iloatable and constructed with an opening 1G. lhe webbingadjacent the periphery or edge of the opening is turned about a ring 18,which, together with the webbing is clamped to the piston as at 19 bythe ring 20. Between the piston 13 and threaded portion where thewebbing is connected to the cylinder, the webbinev is not onlyiloatable, but flexible and pliable, as well as being distended, so asto act properly in conjunction with the piston 13, when compressing theair in the chamber 7, and from one chamber to another. The piston ofeach cylinder is connected at 21 to a rod 22, These rods 9.2 are in turnconnected to the outer rim 23 as shown at 24, and also braced relativeto the outer rim by the rods The outer rim is constructed of a pluralityof sections 2G, connected in sequence by the members 27 and rivets orbolts 28. rlhe outer rim 23 is provided with a tire constructed of wirecable or the like, thereby affording means to prevent skidding.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and usefulis In improvements in pneumatic vehicle wheels, a circular conduit hubrim having a circular hub chamber, a plurality of cylinders connected tothe hub rim and communieating with the hub chamber, each of saidcylinders comprising an inner and outer section threaded together andhaving interior clamping flanges, the inner section being 0f a frustoconical shape7 while the outer sections are likewise shaped but in theopposite direction and terminating in cylindricalshaped portions,cylindrical hollow pistons operable in the cylindrical-shaped portionsof the Outer sections, the inner end of each piston being open andprovided with an annular clamping flange and clamping ring, a floatablewebbing clamped between the clamping flanges of said sections of eachcylinder, said webbing having a central opening, the peripheral portionof which being clamped between the clamping ring and the clamping flangeof each piston, ya

vln testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses. Y

JOSEPH U. WELLS. Witnesses:

FLORENCE E. CELIO, A. P. SARTon.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

